Tag: Beach

Little Love Letter

Little Love Letter

Posted on by tduchess

Soldiers Point Beach, NSW

I am missing Summer. The bright mornings, the sunny days and warm evenings. There is something about travelling through Summer that makes me feel like I am on holidays, no matter where we go. In an effort to remind me of an actual Summer Holiday taken last year, I had to share this photo of KAM, taking a dip at Soldiers Point, NSW. Near the busier, more popular Nelson’s Bay, we had the beach to ourselves. The water is crystal clear and you can see the fish swimming with you through the warm water. This place has been a favourite of mine since I was a child, and it is a great secret spot for a quiet swim! You wont be disappointed!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldiers_Point,_New_South_Wales

Little Love Letter

Little Love Letter

Posted on by tduchess

Fire Dancers, Byron Bay, NSW

Byron Bay is a beautiful beachside town full of eclectic people and travellers looking for adventure. By day its stunning! But by night it comes alive with bohemian entertainers who perform in return for a small donation. These fire dancers were amazing, performing under a full moon with the rolling waves as a backdrop! We don’t spend as much time as we would like in Byron Bay, but when we are there – like everyone – we make the most of it!

http://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/north-coast/byron-bay-area/byron-bay

Patonga Beach, NSW

Patonga Beach, NSW

Posted on by tduchess

An Endless Summer Snow Globe

It’s winter and windy and cold. There is something about winter that can start to get you down unless you’re snuggled up in a fancy hotel with a fireplace and a good bottle of scotch. So in an effort to feel a little sunshine on our skin, we decide to head to Patonga for the day. It seems like the perfect choice with the local Patonga Beach Hotel perched right across from the water.

On your way there, glimpses of the ocean tease you and as you wind your way through the tree-line, you can feel the winter sun beckoning you closer to a small but busy piece of paradise.

The little township is ruled by the Patonga Beach Hotel which sits grandly in white-wash, nestled amongst 100 year old pine trees. The local (and very well fed) pelicans and sea hawks take solace in the branches when they tire of fishing and sit and watch the spectacle of the people as they arrive for lunch. We can’t help but wondering who’s watching who – as they seem just as curious about us, as we are of them.

A good idea is to get there early as by Midday the place is buzzing and tables are scarce. We are excited to see Craigmoor bubbly on the wine list for only $26 a bottle – this is a fraction of the cost at other places! It’s delicious and cold and is presented beautifully in a large wine bucket, protecting it from the warmth of the winter sun. Patonga Beach HotelWe are seated at a table right opposite the ocean which sparkles bright aqua blue against the white sand. There is an open-mic session happening and the soft jazz tones suit the mood as we while-away a Saturday afternoon.

For lunch we can’t resist ordering a bucket of fresh prawns ($24) which when they arrive, stacked high on ice, are sweet and fresh making us even more nostalgic for summer days. We also share the Braised Beef Burger ($22) which is almost to divine to share! These 2 dishes are however perfect for sharing if you want to enjoy a lunch without feeling so full you can’t move. I guarantee you will be more than satisfied.

So we sit, watch the birds, listen to the soft lapping of the waves on the beach and spend an afternoon with good champagne and even better company. When we do eventually decide to head off, KAM suggests a walk on the beach to delay our leaving just a little longer.

Any reminder of summer is a good one and as we leave Patonga and head back up the mountain, the sand between my toes is like a souvenir. Summer is too far away, but the Patonga Beach Hotel has done a good job of jogging my memory. This place is like one of my snow-globes. A forever memory locked in time – just add sunshine and bubbles for the place to come alive.

The Patonga Beach Hotel
6-8 Patonga Drive,
Patonga NSW 2256
http://www.patongahotel.com/
[email protected]

Little Love Letter

Little Love Letter

Posted on by tduchess

Nambucca Head’s Beach, NSW

This beautiful Little Love Letter is brought to you from stunning Nambucca Head’s Beach in Mid North NSW.  While we were there, I couldn’t resist taking my shoes off and walking knee-deep in the crystal clear water. The weather is always nice. The town is relaxed and everyone is chilled. There is a great pub across the road from the Beach too. Hopefully this Little Love Letter will inspire you to go and check it out for yourself!
http://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/north-coast/coffs-harbour-area/nambucca-heads

Easy, breezy, Beach House

Easy, breezy, Beach House

Posted on by tduchess

KAM is cool. He was always one of the popular kids in school who got chosen for all the top sports teams and was constantly surrounded by lots of friends. I am the total opposite, never getting picked for anything except the school musical and was a ballerina in my spare time. Very uncool. 

But if there was ever a place where everyone is cool, it is the Beach House at Port Macquarie. It doesn’t seem to matter if you are a tourist passing through, a regular local or a mum with 2 Kids in her gym gear walking the kids and dogs along the waterfront – everyone is welcome.  

We stumbled across this place by accident on our very first trip to Port and since have experienced breakfast, lunch and dinner sitting out on the long communal tables watching the world go by and listening to whatever music they happen to have on that day. There is something happening here most days, but their live and local sessions by acoustic artists on a Sunday afternoon is my favourite. You’re sitting there with a glass of bubbles and a beat up old car pulls up. A guy gets out of the car with his guitar, plonks himself on a chair, plugs himself in and just starts playing. Easy, breezy and ever so cool. 

Open from 7.00am and located in one of the best spots in Port, you can stare out over the water and watch the dolphins gilding past as they start their day along with you. This is a busy little waterway with multi-million dollars yachts anchoring at the jetty or seaplanes coming into land on water that resembles glass. But it never feels rushed. Everyone here just takes there time, and life seems to be more about enjoyment than caring about running late for a meeting. In fact, I have seen a number of business meetings held here – guys arriving and striping off their suit jackets and ties to sit for a casual beer over what looks like a relatively serious meeting. 

The breakfasts here are massive and I recommend the Beach House Big Breaky which at $25 is more than adequate for 2 people to share. Pair it with a bottle of Taltarni Blanc de Blach ($55) and you have a breakfast made for champions. This is the way to start a day! 

The girls here also know how to mix a mean Martini and on a Friday evening they are $7 each at their Martini Club event, accompanied with live DJs out on the veranda.  

Every time we are in Port (which is not often enough), we visit this cool place and the last time we were there, the girls behind the bar remembered us and our order – and we hadn’t visited for over 3 months! That’s cool! 

The Beach House at Sunset
The Beach House at Sunset

Time moves slower in Port Macquarie and everywhere you look its like a moving postcard. This is the place you want to go to chill out and feel like a local even if only travelling on through. Be warned though…. Once you are here, you will find it very hard to leave. But the Beach House is a staple and will always be there when you feel the need to slow it down, relax and just be a bit cool.

The Beach House
2 Horton Street,
Port Macquarie NSW 2444
Ph: (02) 6584 6011
http://www.thebeachhouse.net.au/

[email protected]